The Göttingen-based logistics company ZUFALL logistics group and the Berlin-based company konfid.io, software experts for blockchain technology, are founding the joint venture „Zukonft“. Zukonft is part of the strategy of the medium-sized family-owned company to position itself for the future and to remain competitive in the long term. A „Carrier Qualification Platform“, which enables transport companies and forwarders to implement the qualification process in a legally compliant and digital manner, is the first market-ready product of this collaboration. This step brings Zukonft closer to its goal of standardising important processes in the forwarding business through digitalisation. The collaboration with konfid.io started last year in the zufall.lab, the think tank of ZUFALL logistics group founded at the end of 2019.
At ZUFALL logistics group, a variety of innovative processes have been initiated in order to position the family-run logistics service provider for the future and for long-term competitiveness. This includes the zufall.lab at the company‘s headquarters in Göttingen, the research and development laboratory. „We want to shape our future sustainably and mindfully,“ says Peter Müller-Kronberg, Managing Partner of ZUFALL logistics group, and goes on to emphasise, „We know the value of trust, transparency and fairness. In our view, these are the three essential elements of long-term and sustainable success.“
From the zufall.lab project to the joint venture Zukonft
In order to be able to guarantee this long-term success in the rapidly changing logistics industry, ZUFALL entered into a collaboration with the zufall.lab partner konfid.io, a Berlin software company with a focus on blockchain applications, last year. This partnership has now given rise to the joint venture Zukonft, which is currently being founded. The Göttingen-based company brings more than ninety years of logistics experience to the table, in particular market access and user understanding. The Berliners are developing a legally and data secure basis for this on the basis of the new technology. The goal of the collaboration is to create a sustainable, fair and digital platform for the transport and logistics industry. With decentralised technologies, Zukonft enables companies to access and fully control their business data and relationships.
On the way to „democratised“ data
„With the Zukonft Blockchain platform, we can create fast and consistent value for all players in a fragmented transport and logistics industry with sustainable solutions, while at the same time offering small and medium-sized players equal opportunities to compete. We see blockchain technology as the key to a sustainable and efficient supply chain,“ says Müller-Kronberg. Blockchain is based on a decentralised database that can manage data in real time, and with complete transparency and security. In the long term, this technology also offers enormous potential for automation.
The wealth of experience of the family business forms the basis for this ground-breaking innovation. „Based on our values of trust, transparency and fairness, we made the decision to use blockchain. Because what we live on the interpersonal track, this technology can do in the digital space,“ says Peter Müller-Kronberg, explaining his decision to work with konfid.io.
konfid.io shares these values, and also the vision of a sustainable, economic future. „Our platform serves the need for sustainability and fairness, which especially – but not only – medium-sized and independent companies have. It is important to us that they too are able to grow their business and compete with the larger companies on an equal footing, safely and profitably. The future is the implementation of this value system,“ says Mervyn Maistry, CEO of konfid.io Blockchain Ventures.
The Carrier Qualification Platform from Zukonft
A carrier qualification platform is the first product based on blockchain technology: a transparent and easy-to-use carrier qualification platform that enables carriers and forwarders to implement the qualification process in a legally compliant and digital way.
With this new platform, carriers can manage their profile data independently and make it accessible to forwarders with full data control. All participating carriers then access the same database but can filter and find carriers according to their needs and transport requirements. In the subsequent qualification process, carriers can approve suitable carriers for the period of licence validity, according to the licences and permits on hand. The platform is thus the first blockchain-based platform that can be used for daily operations in the freight forwarding industry.
Information on actors and companies
Peter Müller-Kronberg
… is the third generation to lead the family business ZUFALL logistics group. Since 2009 he has accompanied the further development of the company on the advisory board, since 2013 he has been in charge of the overnight express division and as managing partner, he is working on the future viability of ZUFALL.
His personal background as an event manager and initial logistics and SME experience at Streck Transport and Hellmann Worldwide Logistics form the foundation of his work. With a global outlook and vision, he builds on over 90 years of successful company history.
The ZUFALL logistics group
… is a family-run logistics service provider with more than 90 years of experience. The company has set out to make logistics sustainably mindful. ZUFALL wants to set new standards with innovation and consistent customer centricity. The company brings everything to the table to achieve this – experience, knowledge and the spirit to keep developing. The first milestone is the zufall.lab. With this future lab, in 2019, Peter Müller-Kronberg has created a place to further anchor the areas of sustainability, innovation and new ways of working in the company. The zufall.lab brings together people from different work areas and worlds of experience to jointly develop new perspectives on old and new questions.
Dr. Mervyn Maistry
… is a digital strategy and blockchain veteran who has worked with the majority of DAX 30 companies. He co-founded the digital strategy unit at Accenture and was a senior partner for blockchain and digital transformation at EY. Currently, Maistry is CEO of konfid.io Blockchain Venture Studio, which invests in a crypto fund and bitcoin mining company.
The konfid.io GmbH
… is a blockchain venture studio based in Berlin. Founded in 2017, the company implements blockchain applications for medium-sized companies. konfid.io combines over 20 years of top consulting experience with a talented tech team and experienced start-up venture developers. This enables the blockchain experts to offer complete end-to-end solutions for a variety of clients from different sectors such as healthcare, automotive, energy and technology.
Picture credits: ZUFALL logistics group
